Spring Training Game Thread: Under the lights

There’s nothing quite like baseball under the sun, but I’ve always had a soft spot for night games. The cool breeze, the lights, I dunno what it is, but I like it. The Yankees are playing one of their few night games of the preseason tonight, taking on the Rays’ B-team in Tampa. Javy Vazquez will be making his third televised start of the spring in as many outings. I guess he’s an attention whore.

This is somewhat unrelated, but, my brother bought MLB TV package for 140 dollars, and while he payed for it, I get it for free. Life is rewarding in little ways sometimes.

http://www.twitter.com/riddering Riddering

I got my new computer today. I think I’m in love. I have MLBtv open and I’m able to watch it at the highest quality without it freezing up or shutting down on me every five minutes.

Sure, I have low expectations but I think they’re going to be raised with this baby.

Andy In Sunny Daytona

When I first read this I thought it said, “I’m going to raise it as my baby”.

http://www.twitter.com/riddering Riddering

I appreciate computers but I save the baby raising for puppies.

http://www.thechuckknoblog.com/ JobaWockeeZ

Nice. Is it custom built or an overpriced brand name?

http://www.twitter.com/riddering Riddering

…it’s a Dell.

http://www.thechuckknoblog.com/ JobaWockeeZ

Heh. I was going to buy a Dell once customizing the parts and it would have cost me 1500 dollars. The internets told me Dell is overpriced and building your own is way cheaper. And the internets never lie.

bexarama

except if it’s MLB.com telling you Curtis Granderson is NOT a switch-hitter

WIlliam

Man, Granderson’s bat on the ball sounded really nice.

bexarama

I thought it was a HR and I was like GRANDERSON HIT A HR OFF A LEFTY! and then I was sad.

Nice hair. I think that guy in the third row just won the craziest hair at the ballpark tonight competition.

WIlliam

They are talking about his homers making up for his avg, as if he didn’t have a 375 obp last year. Jesus people, a single is the same thing as a walk people, the only difference is a walk takes more pitches from the pitcher.

don’t watch either enough to really gauge their catcher’s D, but to me it seems like the Rays are clearly a better defensive team, and that gap only widens when they call up DJ

Paul Canales

That wasn’t a strike?? 38 pitches up the 2nd inning

bexarama

yeah, that was like right down the middle. Umps in mid-season form.

ShuutoHeat

Umps and their damn bias against Yankees!!!

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Just like the scouts.

Sincerely,

mryankee

bexarama

one thing I’ve learned from reading the internet: everyone thinks the umpires (and the national announcers) are biased against their team

ShuutoHeat

Seriously though, Foster hates the Yankees.
I remember Halos Heaven last year during the post season….they really did think that everything was set up for the Yankees to win.

bexarama

because the Angels didn’t get any egregious calls on their behalf in the first round or anything

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

So I know, the Pujols for Howard, ehhh news, from earlier this week was absolutely never discussed as a potential trade. If, however, the Cardinals didn’t think they could sign him, and wanted to trade Pujols for a great 1B already locked up, what would you trade with Tex to get him, assuming a 10/$275 million extension for Pujols? Would you not do it at all to save some payroll flexibility? Would you do Tex/Joba/Romine. More? Less? I’m interested to see what people’s thoughts on this would be.

WIlliam

That’s not even close to being worth it. With Teixera’s 6 more years, I think it has to be just Tex for Pujos, but only if the Cards know they can’t sign Pujos. Joba definetly shouldn’t be there.

If you had read my quotes from Lohud by a commenter named “whatever” on a thread a while back, you would no my frustration. The guy compiled a list showing how many Games back people were in the AL East, and said Granderson, based on ST stats, would be another Gary Mathews Jr.

bexarama

I saw that. Those were some of my favorite LoHud posts ever.

bexarama

oooh he’s back!

another terrible game by curtis granderson.. tell me, is this what we can expect all year? jeter getting on base, and granderson flying out with weak quick at bats? where’s the heart that a guy like damon brings?

I still remember the game where Derek tied Lou Gehrig’s hit total and Upton was chasing after a ball and then very abruptly he just stopped and threw his hands up in the air. Except it was way funnier than I’m describing. I still giggle about it.

I really don’t get people who complain about stuff like that during Spring Training. I can understand why a lot of people think the things they think, whether I agree with them or not… But that’s one thing I really just can’t wrap my mind around.

bexarama

I think she’s just conditioned to hate when the Yankees lose and/or anything bad happens to the Yankees. That, I can understand. The excessive complaining about it/acting like it matters, I cannot.

I can’t even really understand people caring about the results of the games during Spring Training. Freaking Romulo Sanchez is on the mound, Marcus Thames just hit, Ramiro Pena is at third and Juan Miranda is at first, in the fourth inning. How anyone can get themselves worked up about the results of the games or anything like that is just beyond me.

bexarama

Yeah, I’m with you. As long as everyone is non-injured by the time ST is over, I don’t really care if the Yankees go 0-a billion in ST.

Tell your mom I’m disappointed in her. Just walk over to her and tell her: “The Honorable Congressman Mondesi is disappointed in your lack of perspective, Mom”… But don’t explain anything about why you’re saying it or why someone is called “The Honorable Congressman Mondesi” or anything like that. Just say it and walk away like it’s totally normal.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Agree. Bexy needs to do this.

bexarama

I just did. She was like “What does Raul Mondesi have to do with this?????”

I was away from my computer, sorry… That’s awesome. You rule, and your mom rules.

Paul Canales

Chan Ho Park has really let himself go.

Oh wait.

WIlliam

Outstanding 2nd baseman? yes, for his offense. Quite a few gold gloves in his future? Not as long as Pedroia has something to say about it. Along with Zobrist, and many other 2nd basemen.

http://www.soxandpinstripes.com JGS

but he makes great plays from time to time which make people forget about flubbing easier ones, and has a great bat. That is more important to winning gold gloves than you know, being the best defensive player at your position

WIlliam

I know, i was refering to Tino’s comments about Cano after Cano’s one handed flip to Miranda. He said that Cano was a great 2nd baseman who had many GGs in the future.

http://www.soxandpinstripes.com JGS

ah. not watching the game–Tino might be right though

WIlliam

Good point, Jeter did it once a few years ago during a bad defensive season. Many people who win them aren’t great defenders. At least Cano is an average 2nd baseman. On a popular team with a flashy glove, I guess he could win. Then again, Pedroia has all that, plus he’s known as a better defender than Cano.

bexarama

Jeter was not just a bad but a REALLY REALLY BAD defensive SS during every year he won a Gold Glove except 2009, according to UZR.

I think one year according to UZR Cano was the best defensive 2B. Last year, he had a negative rating. Apparently TotalZone lists him as positive, though.

gotta be honest, not that my opinion means much of anything, but i’m not really liking what i’m seeing from Sanchez – very herky-jerky delivery that doesn’t seem to bode well for his control (and he hasn’t proved that fear wrong yet). Good stuff, but a lonnnnng way to go from what i can see.

ShuutoHeat

Not that my opinion means anything either, but he has way too much in his whole delivery. I think he needs to refine his delivery.

WIlliam

Is it just me, or is Tino’s voice really annoying.

bexarama

It’s not just you. He doesn’t have a broadcaster’s voice at all. Worlds better than when he was on ESPN, though.

No, he’s going to be more like Harry Connick Jr. on Will and Grace than Megan Mullaly.

WIlliam

How often is that? Something in terms of either Smallville, HIMYM, Chuck, Psych or House. WIll and Grace is off my television analogy spectrum.

http://www.twitter.com/riddering Riddering

Okay, Tino will be in the booth as often as Supergirl was on Smallville.

(The latter being a great shame. Talk about a wasted opportunity to tell great stories about my second favorite Kryptonian with breasts.)

WIlliam

I know, Laura Vandelvort would have helped me to stay on during the last half of season 8. Uhg, this season is much better thankfully. Still, having the hottest girl in her early 20’s on the show would be a great boost for ratings.

Reggie C.

GO BIG EAST !!

Marquette better not disappoint.

Reggie C.

Posada’s in mid-season form.

Gary

Watching Sanchez hurt my shoulder

bexarama

but where are his RH splits????

bexarama

also Chan Ho Park has made 75 hilarious faces already

http://yanksgoyard.com Andy_C_23

Is Georgetown f’ing up anyone else’s bracket as bad as they’re f’ing up mine?

http://www.thechuckknoblog.com/ JobaWockeeZ

That would be me.

LI Kevin

Why doesn’t Posada or anybody else swing on 3 and 0 during the Spring?

http://yanksgoyard.com Andy_C_23

It’s the Jews’ fault!

Sincerely,
Ronan Tynan

bexarama

Did Tyler Kepner really say that BJ Upton was going to have a killer year and carry the Rays to the playoffs after one Spring Training triple? You know better than that, Kep.

http://www.yfsf.org AndrewYF

Robertson has a beee-yoo-tiful curveball.

WIlliam

Singleton is really marveling at peoples ST stats. He’s practically drooling over Posada and Cano when they’re at the plate. I must say Ken, I thought you knew better than that.

I can 100% guarantee you that none of us (Ben, Joe, or myself) are behind Old Hoss. I know he has at least checked in on RAB, he DM’ed me a “good job” on Twitter for the anonymous scout post, but that’s it.

http://www.richardiurilli.com Richard Iurilli

Eh, it was a cool idea though. You should write a post claiming credit for April Fool’s Day.

WIlliam

Completely off topic, but…idk if we all have the same commercials on MLBTV, but there was a really weird commerical where a mother used her phone to track her teen daughter in the mall. Sounds a little creepy to me. I mean, she has a phone.

WIlliam

Hey Mondesi, do you think Granderson will be able to recover and steal his job back from WInn? WInn has been on base 2 times today to Granderson’s 0.

LI Kevin

Right. People worry about the wrong things.

LI Kevin

reply fail

WIlliam

Colin Curtis has been awesome this ST. I mean, wasn’t he supposed to have very low power, or was that only true of Jackson?

bexarama

Javy has such a nice smile.

Hangoverologist

Jazzy also almost doesn’t have the accent that hinders most Spanish pitchers. I’m picking a up a Javy jersey because I think he’s awesome.

http://www.theyankeeu.com/ Nostra-Artist

The season hasn’t even started yet and Flaherty is already getting on my nerves.

BTW-Tino is just awful.

Ivan

Georgetown=FAIL!

http://yanksdraftsandprospects.blogspot.com/ Jake H

They screwed me hard today

Kevin G.

TWSS

http://www.theyankeeu.com/ Nostra-Artist

Who the Frock was that?

bexarama

what the hell are they talking about here, my head hurts

bexarama

They just showed a commercial for the Daily News’ “Modern True Yankee Heroes” or whatever and Andy Pettitte was on the cover for this Sunday’s version. Then, they showed someone playing Bejeweled. My true loves!!!

Orlando

I can’t take Flaherty anymore!!!!!

http://www.theyankeeu.com/ Nostra-Artist

I have a great idea for the Yankee broadcast booth. have Singleton, Kay, Tino and Flaherty all in the booth, but only turn on Kenny’s microphone.

Angelo

IETC

http://www.theyankeeu.com/ Nostra-Artist

Tino has the personality of a 2×4.

bexarama

He seems like a really nice guy but all he ever talks about is being from Florida and stuff aaaaghhh

http://www.twitter.com/riddering Riddering

You say that like it’s a bad thing.

/Giuliani’d

http://www.theyankeeu.com/ Nostra-Artist

You thay that like it’th a bad thing.

/Giuliani’d

Fixed that for ya.

thurdonpaul

I prefer Tino to Flash, its a long season so im hoping Tino grows into the job.

When Derek struck out with the winning run on third and two outs in I think it was the bottom of the ninth, maybe the tenth, I like had a hernia and turned it off. I turned it on again, fearfully, like half an hour later, and it was STILL GOING ON

Alex crying after the Yankees won the WS absolutely killed me.

John Staten Island

Just start the season already….I cant wait to see Aceves win the 5th starter spot

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Hate to break it to you, but I think you’ll be waiting a looooong time for that to happen.